Vacuum-cleaner.



J. WAGNER.

VACUUM CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZE. 191s.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

v 2 SHEETS-SHEET l. '7 I 1. WAGNER.

VACUUM CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. 1916.

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- JOSEPH WAGNER, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

VACUUM-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Dec. 17, 1918.

Application filed May 26,, 1916. Serial No. 99,982.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH WAGNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Vacuum-Cleaners, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

his invention relates to vacuum cleaners and has for its eneral object the provision of a simple e cient vacuum cleaner which shall be convenient to use and not liable to get out of order, while being capable of being comparatively cheaply manufactured. More s ecific objects are to so arrange the parts 0 my device as to prov1de the greatest rigidit convenience in assembling and efiective suction. Still another object is to provide a simple and conveniently operable adjusting device for raising and lowering the nozzle.

My invention is hereinafter more fully described in connection with the accompany-v ing drawings, and the essential characteristics are summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my vacuum elevation of the same, shown on a plane at right angles to the axis ofthe motor and fan; Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially on the central plane of the cleaner; Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of the adjusting device; and Fig. 5 is a bottom plan, being taken on a plane substantially parallel with the axis of the motor and tan.

In the above views, the usual dust bag and means for securing the same to the handle have been omitted, as they are not a part of the present invention.

Referrin A to the drawings by numerals, 10 is a wide, aring nozzle or mouth piece having a substantially horizontal downwardly facing intake opening 11 adjacent the floor, and having substantially parallel top and bottom walls, and slightly {rounded side walls which extend sharply inwardly to a point adjacent the front wall 12 of the fan chamber with which said nozzle is integrally joined. The fan chamber 14 has a somewhat circular edge wall and a rear wall 15, substantially parallel with the wall 12, through WlllCh is a circular opening. In this opening is fitted and secured a motor casting and fan support, to be hereinafter described.

The fan chamber is provided with a latcleaner; Fig. 2 is an end tially clrcular neck 17 at th usual dust bag,

is secured. 'lhus I have provided a nozzle, fan chamber and exit passage in one integral casting without undue curves or obstructions in the passages for air.

At 20 is indicated a suitable fan, the blades of which project toward the nozzle from a c1rcular plate 21 rotatably mounted on the end of a shaft 22 of a suitable electr1 c motor 25. At the rear of the fan plate 21 1s a circular casting 26 having a transverse web 27 carrying a bearing indicated at 28 for the motor shaft leading to the fan. The substantially cylindrical portion 26 of the casting is fitted within the opening in the wall l5, and at the rear of this cylindrical portion 1S provided an outwardly extending flange 30 engaging the wall 15 and preferably having a rounded outer edge. At the rear of this flange the frame casting 26 is provided with inwardly and rearwardly extending arms 31 integral with the transverse portion 32 of the casting. The field 35 of the motor is clamped between this portion 32 and a circular frame member 36, having inwardly extending legs 37 carrying the bearing 38 for the other end of the motor shaft 22, the latter casting and field of the motor being rigidly clamped together with the casting secured in the wall of the chamber by bolts indicated at 40..

To conveniently secure the casting 26 in the casing, and thereby mount the motor and fan, I provide semi-circular notches in the casting leaving shoulders adapted to lie in the same plane as the outer side of the wall 15, when the flange 30 is resting against the same. Washers 42 resting against these shoulders 41 and the wall 15 receive screws 44 threaded into the wall, which, when tightened, hold the above described parts in position.

At 46 are indicated leads for the commutator brushes of the motor, and at 48 is a suitable cable. or cord carrying electric conductors leading to these brushes whereby, when the cable is connected to a source of current, such as a lamp socket, current may be supplied to the motor for operating the fan '20.

Extendin downwardly from one of the legs 31 of t e casting member 26 is an integral tongue embraced by bracket arms 51 secured thereto curved portions abut the rear wall by suitable rivets. These bracket arms carry at their outer ends, a which is mounted the rear supporting wheel 54 for the cleaner.

Beneath the nozzle 10 and journaled to its lower wall is a rock shaft 60 having oil'- set or cranked portions 62 at the outer side of the bearings 61, providing outwardly extending integral portions 63, furnish ng bearings for supporting wheels 64, WhlCll are in axial alinement. Thus the two wheels 64 and the wheel 54 provide a triangular base on which the cleaner may run. The base is of sufiicient area to furnish stability and permit the balancing of the handle and dust bag above the same, as will be hereinafter described.

As a means for adjusting the height of the nozzle openin 11 so that it may operate effectively on di erent grades and thicknesses of carpets or rugs, I provide a screw member 65 threaded through an ear 66 integral with the nozzle 10 and having a reduced neck below which is an enlarged flange 68. The neck is rotatably embraced by a cross member or a strap70 extending around one of the extensions 63 of the wheel shaft. Thus by turning the knurled head 72 of the screw 65, the shaft 60 may be rocked in its bearings and the angle of the ofi'set portions 62 with relation to the nozzle may be so changed as to raise and lower the nozzle, in efi'ect, swinging it about the axis 'of the wheel- 54.

Extending laterally from legs 31 of the casting member 30 are integral studs or trunnion 75 having reduced outer ends 7 6 adapted to pivotally engage openings in the ends of spring arms 78, forked outwardly from the lower end of a suitable handle indicated at .80. These arms are preferably adapted to be sprung over the projections 7 6 and rest against the shoulders at the ends of the stud portions 75, thereby having a pivoted engagement with the cleaner body.

It will be noted that the lower ends of the arms 7 8 are preferably curved slightly as at 7 9, whereby when the handle is thrown forwardly from its vertical position, these 15 of the fan chamber, thus limiting the forward movement of the handle. The handle will stand in this position, as the center of gravit of the handle and vacuum cleaner still stands over the triangular base formed by the wheels 54 and 64. It will be noted also from Figs. 1 and 3 that the trunnions orpivots for the handle are slightly above the center of the motor and fan, and they are so positioned with relation to the forward and rear ends of the casing and motor that the cleaner body is substantially balanced, with relation to the handle pivots, and may transverse pivot 52 on spring over 'ing the be picked up by the handle without either end tending to swing downwardly. This is a very advantageous feature when the cleaner is being used for cleaning the seats of chairs, davenports, or stairways and the like, where it is desirable to momentarily pick up the cleaner by the handle.

For protection of the motor and to add to the appearance of the structure, lprefer to inclose the motor in a sheet metal cap or casing 85 o shaped as to substantially follow the contour of the motor and ame. At its larger open end this cap is split at several points by notches and recesses to extend over the trunnions 75, electric conductor 48, wheel bracket 51 and the screws and washer 44 and 42. At its open end the edge of the cap is turned inwardly slightly as indicated at 87, whereby it may the curved edge of the flange 30, the several notches just described permitting the yielding movementof the inner edge of the cap allowing it to be readily removed and-replaced. When in position, its own resiliency causes a firm engagement with the flange 30. The notches and openings described .permit ventilation for c'ool-. motor.. While the motor is running, a current of air is set up within this casing 85, passing into openings 88 at the rear end at the inner edge of the casing.

'The convenient removal of considerable value, permitting easy access to the motor for any purpose, such for example, as oiling. At 90 is provided a tube leading downwardly from the upper portion of the casting member 31 to the bearing 28 for conducting oil to this bearing. From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a cleaner which is neat in appearance, the main nozzle passageway leading most directly to the fan without any curves. The motor and fan being mounted on an axis in alinement with such passageway adds to the neatness in appearance as well as enable the handle to be mounted in such a position that the cleaner body is balanced when picked up by the handle. Such handle may turn about the pivots from a substantially horizontal to a vertical position, and ma be allowed to stand in an upright position by. reason of the engagement of the portions 79 with the fan chamber. g

It will be noted that the rear caster wheel 54' is carried by the same casting member in which the fan and motor shaft has its bearing, and which carries thetrunnions for the handle, and that none of these parts interfere with the removal of the casing 85, while the casting itself is adapted to be very conveniently secured in position.

The adjustment for the forward end of the nozzle is easily accessible and quickly 180 of the same and outwardly through notches of this casing is responsive as it acts directly on the nozzle itself. The general simplicity of the device constructed according to my invention contributes to a wide variety of uses as there are omparatively few projectionsto engage furniture and other obstructions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination of an integral nozzle and a fan chamber, said fan chamber having an inwardly turned Wall portion opposite the nozzle leaving an opening, a spider-like bearing support fitting in said opening and having an outwardly turned flange abutting the wall adjacent said opening, said member having a projection for a supporting Wheel, rojections adapted to receive a handle and aving a surface adapted to be a-butted by a field member of a motor carried by said first mentioned member, and a fan Within the fan chamber adapted to be driven by said motor and mounted on the armature shaft thereof, said flange being adapted t receive a cap inclosing said motor and extending rearwardly from the fan chamber wall.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, the combination of a nozzle and a fan chamber rigidly connected, the 'fan chamber having a rear wall provided with an opening, a motor bearing spider-like supporting member fitting in said opening, and means for removably and rigidly securing said member to said chamber wall, said member being adapted to carry a motor and also having a rigid projection adapted to carry a su porting wheel and having laterally exten in trunnions adjacent the rear wall of the fin chamber adapted to pivotally receive the ends of a handle which may rest; in upright position against the rear-wall of the an chamber. si ature. v

testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my JOSEPH WAGNER. 

